Andrew Stevens is the Network Safety Manager for Waka Kotahi's maintenance alliance which is responsible for the day to day operations and maintenance of Auckland State highway network (previously known as the Auckland Motorway Alliance (AMA) and now as the Auckland System Management (ASM) Alliance.

This presentation will explore the journey Andrew's safety team has been on as part of the AMA/ASM as they recognised then accepted the challenge to address the issue of suicide on their transport network.

It will build on the presentation given at the ARSC conference in 2022, with the primary aim of raising the profile of what is otherwise largely a taboo topic. As such it is often not recognised as an issue. This, combined with suicide not traditionally viewed as a part of road trauma - despite occurring within the road network - adds to the challenge of securing funding and mandating change.

Andrew will put the magnitude of suicide into context, exploring the journey he has undertaken in recognising the issue and what the response has been. His opening and closing words will be ‘do you know the role that suicide plays in your network’ and following some reflection will leave you with the challenge of making sure you consider what you can do to make a difference.

Date: Tuesday 31 October 2023
Time: 12:00pm to 1:00pm NZST (or 10:00am to 11:00am ADST)
In-person location: Training Room 1, Ground Floor, Beca House, 21 Pitt Street, Auckland
Online: via Zoom - Link received in confirmation email
Details: Available to ACRS Members only.
Enquiries: Sam Pasley - Sam.pasley@asm.nzta.govt.nz

About Andrew Stevens

In the past 30 years, he has spent most of his career seconded out sitting in the ‘clients’ shoes, initially with the then Transit NZ assisting the road safety team and then at Auckland Council helping to deliver the Central Connector (rapid Transport) project in 2008.

Andrew began his career at Beca as a graduate engineer following completion of his study at the University of Auckland. Whilst he considers himself a generalist transportation engineer, his primary focus during his career has been in the field of road safety.